Sound Off: Weekly Recap

Here's the scoop on what readers were debating on Patch this week. You can click the links to the particular Sound Off to leave a comment on a topic. You can also vote in all of this week's polls at the bottom of this article.

Monday:

Long Island got smacked with a snowstorm on Halloween and there have been a couple of really cold days so far this winter, but so far the winter of 2011-12 has been mild. We asked readers what their favorite kind of winter is. By a solid margin, readers said "I am perfectly happy with the way it has been going so far." 

Reader comment: "I love snow. We need snow a few times a month maybe just a dusting and one or two big storms. I do not feel like Christmas happened yet as I have only seen the snow once and that was in October."- Tracey

Tuesday:

With new that six Waldbaum's stores will close soon on Long Island, we were curious as to where readers spend their supermarket dollars. With more than 250 votes in, Stop & Shop was readers' top choice (with 39 percent of the vote). Waldbaum's (19 percent) and ShopRite (14 percent) were the next two choices. 

Reader comment: "I do most of my shopping in Stop and Shop. King Kullen, only if they have items that I use on sale; otherwise they are way too expensive. Best Yet has the best prices for fruits and vegies but; the parking lot is always packed and I find it hard to get around the store (aisles are small and crammed). I would do all my shopping at Best Yet if the store was bigger and had better parking. Pathmark and Waldbaums are old and run down."- West Islip Mom

Wednesday:

Proponents of online poker rejoiced last month when, according to the Huffington Post, the Department of Justice said it was reversing its stance that the Wire Act of 1961 prevents online lottery sales and, by implication, other Internet gambling except sports betting. We asked readers if they thought onlike poker should be legalized. More than 90 percent of voters (173-10) said yes.

Thursday:

According to Veterinary Pet Insurance Co (VPI) and Petfinder.com, a roundup of the most popular dog names in 2011 showed no change over the previous year. Bella, Bailey, Max, Lucy and Molly were the top 5 most popular dog names.

We asked readers to share the names of their own furry friends. Readers also posted two dozen photos of their dogs to our photo gallery. Be sure to add your own!

Reader comment: "I rescued "ROCKY" on November 27, 2010 he was so sad, sitting in the Islip shelter while all the other dogs were bouncing up and down "look at me, look at me" my poor little fellow just said "why bother, no one is going to want me, I'm old my eyes are failing and I can't hear" he sat in his cage sooooooooooooo forlong. After I picked my little fellow I was told how abused he was when the shelter picked him up. His hair was all matted, his teeth were ground down and broken from bitting on his cage. How could anyone mistreat him so much I still don't understand. When I took Rocky (after Sylvester Stallone the love of my life) to the vet she told me he was a lot older than the 5-8 years the lead me to believe at the shelter and she is the one who told me about his loss of hearing and poor eyesite. We are a great team you see I am a senior citizen who is not as fast as she use to be I need glasses and my hearing has become selective. Together we will spend our "Golden Years."- Claire Caiazzo-McLoughlin